NANOMATERIALS IN WASTE WATER:
for the Region VI Pretreatment Association, U.S.
EPA, and State EPA Region VI
Oklahoma City
August, 2008
Jennifer Sass, Ph.D.
Natural Resources Defense Council
J Sass NRDC
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The Nano-Titanic has left port
•More than $50 billion of nano-enabled products
•500+ nano-enabled consumer products,
•125+ nanosilver consumer products
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Promises of the future
Clothing covered in nano-zinc oxide wires could
power devices. (Nature, Feb 2008)
Medical "nanomiracles" include drug delivery and
imaging devices.
Iron nanoparticles can decontaminate solventsoaked soil up to 1,000 times faster than a
conventional iron mixture.
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Current applications
•Stain-resistant clothing (nano-perfluorinated
compounds)
•Clear sunscreen (TiO2)
•Self-cleaning window coatings (TiO2)
•Nano ceramic window coatings block heat but not
light,
•Microbe-killing washing machines and plastic food
storage containers (nano silver)
•Lighter, stronger bicycles and hockey sticks (carbon
nanotubes)
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It is clear that inhaled nanomaterials can pass into
the blood stream, and from the blood through the
blood-brain-barrier, and the placental barrier.
Nano metal oxides in sunscreens may penetrate
skin, though most tests on intact skin have reported
only limited penetration.
Not much is known about whether ingested
nanomaterials can pass from the gut
into the blood stream.
Papp T, Schiffmann D, Weiss D, Castranova V,
Vallyathan V, Rahman O (2008) Human health implications of
nanomaterial exposure, Nanotoxicology, 2:1, 9 - 27
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Fe-TAML
In the lab Fe-TAMLs together with hydrogen
peroxide can rapidly degrade not only estrogenic
compounds, but also bacterial spores similar to
those of anthrax, sulfur compounds in motor fuels,
dyes in textile mill wastewater, and organic
colorants discharged from pulp and paper mills.
(Shappell et al, Env Sci Tech, 2008: 42(4):1296)
This would require maybe a billion kg of this
treatment compound in our water, and the potential
harm is poorly understood
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Problem: no enforceable regulations for most
nanomaterials
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Special Case of Nanosilver
Over 125 consumer products claim to use
nanosilver;
Nanosilver, like silver, kills both harmful and
beneficial microbes. The nanoscale version is
more toxic than regular silver.
In cultured mouse sperm stem cells, a 48 hr
treatment of nanosilver (15 nm diameter) was
45-fold more toxic than silver carbonate (EC50 of
8.75 v 408 ug/ml).
(Braydich-Stolle et al, Toxicological Sciences, 2005)
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Calls to regulate nanosilver as a pesticide, 2006
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http://www.samsung.com/us/news/newsRead.do?news_group=productnews&news
_type=consumerproduct&news_ctgry=laundrywasherdryer&news_seq=3071&sear
ch_keyword=&from_dt=&to_dt=
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EPA says, "ion generators that incorporate a
substance (e.g., silver or copper) ... for the purpose of
preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating a pest
(e.g., bacteria or algae)...are considered pesticides
for purposes of FIFRA, and must be registered prior
to sale or distribution." (FR Notice, Sept 07)
All products must apply to EPA for registration by
March 21, 2008, if they want to continue to sell after
that date.
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jsass/us_epa_levies_fine_against_nan.html
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In March, 2008 US EPA fined a nanotech company,
ATEN Technology $208,000 because its subsidiary,
IOGEAR, was selling nanosilver as an unregistered
pesticide.
EPA tells me that so far no companies have
voluntarily registered their nanosilver-containing
products.
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LA TIMES
Aug 4, 2008
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Carbon nanotubes introduced into the abdominal
cavity of mice show asbestos-like pathogenicity in a
pilot study.
(Poland et al. Nature Nanotechnology, 2008)
Injecting the mesothelial lining of the
body cavity of mice with multiwalled
carbon nanotubes results in asbestoslike, length-dependent, pathogenic
behaviour at 7 days. This includes
inflammation and granulomas.
http://icon.rice.edu/resources.cfm?doc_id=12299
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Gov’t nano budget
US has $1.9 billion FY09 budgeted for US
National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI):
•EPA- $25 M
•DOD -$431M
•NSF - $397
•DOE - $331
(www.nano.gov/html/about/funding.html)
About $13 M spent on risk-relevant research
www.nanotechproject.org/news/archive/ehs-update/
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"...nanotechnology is being
overseen by the same
government organizations that
promote it; research strategies are
not leading to clear answers to
critical questions; collaborations
are not being as productive as is
needed; and stakeholders are not
being fully engaged."
-Hansen et al (2008)
Nature Nanotechnology
http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/p
df/nnano.2008.198.pdf
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http://www.onearth.org/article/our-silver-coated-future
For more info….
Jen Sass blog: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jsass/
EDF blog: http://environmentaldefenseblogs.org/nanotechnology/
ICON: http://cohesion.rice.edu/CentersAndInst/icon/index.cfm
PEN: http://www.nanotechproject.org/
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